However, the Coaltion of civil society groups in a statement signed by its Chairman, Dr. Julius Bernard on Saturday said police had continued to lay siege on the 23 Local Government Council secretariats despite court judgement.
A coalition of civil society organisations, under the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, has asked President Bola Tinubu to order the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to end the siege by policemen on the 23 Local Government Council secretariats in Rivers State.
A factional Speaker of the state assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and 24 other lawmakers loyal to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, had amended the local government law on the grounds that the state governor refused to conduct a fresh election for the councils prior to the expiration of the then sitting Chairmen.
It added that the assembly would rather extend the tenure of the chairmen, and appoint caretaker committees to manage the council, insisting that the CTCs were unconstitutional.
The youths allegedly loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara had taken over all the Council Secretariats in the state and prevented the council chairmen whose tenures in office had elapsed on June 17, 2024, from gaining entrance.
Two security operatives reportedly lost their lives in the line of duty due to the crisis.
The tragic deaths reportedly occurred in the Omuma Local Government Area on June 18 and was linked to the invasion of the council headquarters at Eberi-Omuma by thugs and others loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s administration.
The Rivers State police command in a press statement sent to SaharaReporters and signed by the state Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, had confirmed that a police officer and a vigilante lost their lives.
A three-man Appeal Court panel, presided over by Justice B. B. Aliyu, upheld the decision of the High Court, refused the extension of the tenures of the Chairmen whose positions expired in June and dismissed the case for lack of merit.
However, the Coaltion of civil society groups in a statement signed by its Chairman, Dr. Julius Bernard on Saturday said police had continued to lay siege on the 23 Local Government Council secretariats despite court judgement.
The coalition described the development as an affront to democracy and a deliberate attempt to undermine the authority of the judiciary.
The groups lamented that the police, under the guise of maintaining law and order, have become an instrument of oppression, denying workers access to their offices and causing loss of man-hours.
He said; “We recall that the state High Court had nullified the amended Local Government law that backed the tenure elongation of the former chairmen, and the appeal court dismissed the appeals filed by Martin Amaewhule and others for lacking in merit.
“It is therefore surprising that the police have continued to barricade the council secretariats, days after the tenure elongation controversy appeal was dismissed.
“We call on the Inspector-General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, to immediately withdraw policemen from the council secretariats and respect the judgment of the court. The continued presence of police at the council secretariats is a clear violation of the principle of separation of powers.
“We also urge President Bola Tinubu to call the Inspector-General of Police to order and direct him to immediately withdraw policemen from the council secretariats. We commend the Rivers State Government for their swift inauguration of new caretaker chairpersons after the expiration of the tenure of the last officials.
“We also applaud the organised labour for their bold stance in calling for the withdrawal of policemen from the council secretariats. We urge all well-meaning Nigerians to join us in condemning this brazen attack on democracy and the rule of law.”
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